31 Replies:

I get a sharp pain in my upper right side just below my ribcage a lot too. It actually travels around my side to my middle back on the right side. At the time it happens I can't take a deep breath or move around much as it makes the pain much more intense. I have had many tests ran, yet no reason is ever to be found. I also work with 2 other females who have had the same problems and also had their doctors never find out the cause...strange huh?? It hurts so bad you think you might be dying but luckily for me it only hurts real bad for a few minutes then just kinda throbs and tingles for an hour or so after that. If anyone else might know what this is a symptom of let me know.

Interesting. I can tell you what it's NOT, and that's an impacting bile duct stone. It's also not related to your liver. Given it's 30 seconds long, it's probably either a brief spasm of the colon around too much gas, or something muscular, like a trapped cutaneous nerve or something. You need to be examined formally by a GI.

Since yesterday, I have been having sharp spasms just about an inch (or 2 ribs) above the floating rib. I've mentally gone down the checklist of what it's likely not, but nothing conclusive (not kidney, not bladder; not sure if gallbladder, liver). I do know that I have been drinking coffee regularly for the past 2 or 3 weeks w/o enough intake of water.The pain lasts 10 or 15 seconds and comes in waves about every minute or two. This has been going on for the last 12+ hours, I think even when I was sleeping (I felt it going to sleep, and also when I woke up). It doesn't radiate or shift. It's in the same location. I've tried some light yoga stretches which doesn't seem to improve the symptoms. Hurts when I cough.Some other symptoms I have been having lately (not sure if related or not) is pain in my left thumb joint (the one closest to the palm) and a very specific needle-sharp pain in the ball of the thumb (underside of palm). The other strange symptoms I've had lately is pain in my right inner thigh which feels like a throbbing in the large vein that runs between the quads and hamstring.Any suggestions appreciated!

I went to see my Dr yesterday and he referred me to have an ultrasound. Did that this morning and my gallbladder was fine and perfectly healthy :-) They did see a mass of some sort (they guessed cysts or hemangioma), so they ordered a CT scan. This afternoon, I had an abdominal, pelvic, and IV CT. Revealed hemangioma in the liver. Could this be the cause of the pain? What can be done about it?The pain isn't any better. It actually seemed to subside a little bit this evening after having drank 3 containers of Barium Sulfate Suspension! Now the pain has returned as my belly swelling is going down a bit.help?Thanks,millie

Hi again, Hemangiomas never really cause pain, unless they're giant (REALLY giant, larger than the technical classification of giant being more than 4 cm) and they are distending the liver capsule or rupture - that would be a severe continuous pain. Again, wait for the CT results, but I'm almost certain it given your story that it won't show anything and I'm not surprised that nothing alters the pain. Try eliminating gas-promoting foods from your diet. If nothing is found on formal exam from your GI, then consider the spasm theory...Good luck!

I have the same pain in the same stop... under my ribs on the right side... I dont have my gallbladder or appendix ! I have had numerous test ran and nothing shows up... ugh i am so stressed about this and i cant get any releif... My pain is sharp and stabbing and can last from an hour to three and then stop completly and then come back...

I have had for the last year and a half, a random sharp pain in the upper right side of my abdomen. It lasts for 30 seconds and feels at the time that it could kill me! What could it be?This can be a CHRONIC appendicitis. If it comes and goes and is a sharp pain....very possible for appendicitis. But it also may be a problematic ovary. You should seeks doctor's help and have them check your blood to diagnose appedicitis. Try to seek European doctors with this case. For some reason there are aspects that are not taught in USA Medical School that are widely used in Europe.

I have actually had this problem fixed since I posted this ! I had surgery to explore my stomach and they found extensive adhesions ! Its pretty much scar tissue that forms after having surgery or can just form without any notice. But that was what was causing my pain. I had been having pain every single day of my life it seemed for three years. But since valentines day 2008 (when I had surgery) I have not had ANY PAIN whatsoever !!!!!! Just praying they dont come back !!!! But thank you for the response !!!!!!!!

Hi I have been having and experiencing right now sharp pain on my right side just below my ribs. This is an attack that comes and goes but does last for a couple hours or longer. The first our is excruciating and then is a constant pain after that. I try stretching; doesn't help, I try drinking water; doesn't help. Last week I was at the hospital for a GI Bleed and was told it might have been Samonela poisoning or ecoli. I am skeptical! Could these attacks be related to a GI bleed? I really need some answers, my dr doesn't seem to have any...... please email me dlfernandez@shaw.ca

i have also been having sharp pain in upper right abdomin. I had it about 4 years ago a year a part and haven't had such a bad pain until friday. it is very severe with jumping sharp pain when i breathe deep, cough, or move funny. It then turns not so bad after about 24 hours but it still hurts when i breath deep and move funny. It has now been over 48 hours with pain. I have been tested for pancreas, liver, gallblladder etc. had many ultrasounds...nothing ever comes up. I am so frustrated. I just want to know what is wrong. What else could i be looking for?

I've been having a similar pain in my right side as well. I had gallbladder problems and had it removed but I have been getting these pain both before and after I had my gallbladder removed and I don't think they have anything to do with my gallbladder. These pains are lower than that more towards the lower part of my ribcage. For me though the pain comes in a few short stabbing sensations a few seconds apart and lasting no more than a few seconds each. Even though it only lasts a few seconds its debilitating and hurts so bad that it makes me cry. I had numerous tests run such as ultrasounds, ct scans. colonoscopies, and other abdominal tests. I don't think its my abdomen but I have no idea what's causing it.

Last year, I had my right ovary taken out. I had gone to the hospital at three in the morning due to extreme pain. I had a cyst that had formed around my ovary and was the size of a pre-mature baby. Before, I kept going to the doctor and they kept saying that nothing was wrong when I would complain about the pain. After I had my emergency surgery because it was about to burst, they put me on birth control to prevent a cyst from happening on my left ovary. Recently, i've been having sharp pains in my upper right side and they cause me to not be able to move for up to a minute. I was thinking about going to the hospital today, but i'm not sure.Any suggestions?

Please go to the dr. or ER to rule out possible ectopic pregancy ASAP, as this can be life threatening. You may have nothing wrong, the pain MAY be caused by a tiny ovarian cyst/hopefully not big cyst/even better: hopefully none at all! BUT this is considered a medical emergency in my book due to possible ectopic pregnancy. It could even be something as trivial as your psoas muscle being in spasm but the psoas is a very large muscle that goes from your inner leg and up across the abdomen to reattach somewhere near the rib cage and this core stabilizing muscle can be pressing painfully on a nerve in that region or pressing on your existing ovary, something massage therapy and muscle relaxers may help. Godspeed! do not wait! Good luck to you.

many of us here would benefit greatly from an allergy test. Also learning about how menuka honey, cider vinegar, and silver can help us all. Nutrition is th 1st step to wellness.we don't seek help unless were ill and were not ill unless it's too late.

Wow, I thought I was insane when all the tests I have had showed up negative, nothing, zilch!! I have a sharp pain which radiates from my breast bone under my right rib cage to the most severe stabbing pain located to my right side. I have always complained about my back hurting but when doctors and everyone tell you nothings wrong you stop telling everyone how much pain you are in. I want to know what is causing the pain but x-rays, ct scans, upper & lower GI's, ultrasounds all show normal. So frustrating that I simply want to cry. The pain is exactly as many of you have described and if I breath in deeply it is so severe it takes my breath away. The pain radiates at times to my right shoulder and effects the way I walk as it is like I have a stitch in my side as if I have run a long distance. I wish and pray that someone could tell me what this might be a symptom of. I have never had surgery so I have all of my body parts. I do have diabetes. So for now I am on pain medication but I don't want to take it for the rest of my life. If anyone is out there that can help let all of us know what this could be.

Wow, I thought I was insane when all the tests I have had showed up negative, nothing, zilch!! I have a sharp pain which radiates from my breast bone under my right rib cage to the most severe stabbing pain located to my right side. I have always complained about my back hurting but when doctors and everyone tell you nothings wrong you stop telling everyone how much pain you are in. I want to know what is causing the pain but x-rays, ct scans, upper & lower GI's, ultrasounds all show normal. So frustrating that I simply want to cry. The pain is exactly as many of you have described and if I breath in deeply it is so severe it takes my breath away. The pain radiates at times to my right shoulder and effects the way I walk as it is like I have a stitch in my side as if I have run a long distance. I wish and pray that someone could tell me what this might be a symptom of. I have never had surgery so I have all of my body parts. I do have diabetes. So for now I am on pain medication but I don't want to take it for the rest of my life. If anyone is out there that can help let all of us know what this could be. What I would do! find a clinic you can go to and get an appointment with an electro accupuncturist ... they will be able to tell EXACTLY EVERYTHING wrong and right in your body with pin point accuracy. Magic!? not really.I booked my appointment through a health store - i'm currently paying the price for getting back to full health with pills and potions ... however - it was only at most a 1 week waiting time. :) . In Holland where I live it can cost 80Euro - However with insurance that price goes down to 50.Do this and report back would be great :) best of luck

I have had for the last year and a half, a random sharp pain in the upper right side of my abdomen. It lasts for 30 seconds and feels at the time that it could kill me! What could it be?Dude I feel your pain....it really sucks doesn't it....I've had this for like two years but there's no pattern is there...random bursts of death defying pain....yet I still haven't seen a doctor or found out what it was....I'm sure it can't be deadly though...otherwise I'd be pretty much screwed already....when i get it I cramp up like I'm doing standing sit ups lol...so when I try to straighten up it's real painfull but if you just keep streching it will go away quicker....I've been wondering if it's something to do with your BMI I'm 5"9" at 190 pounds with a BMI of around 27% which is only 2-3% over ideal for a 19 year old.....it's pretty heavy I know...I work out though....If you don't want to post ur weight n stuff don't but use mine to compare and maybe it will help catergorize the group of people that get the pain! Good luck

What I would do! find a clinic you can go to and get an appointment with an electro accupuncturist ... they will be able to tell EXACTLY EVERYTHING wrong and right in your body with pin point accuracy. Magic!? not really.I booked my appointment through a health store - i'm currently paying the price for getting back to full health with pills and potions ... however - it was only at most a 1 week waiting time. :) . In Holland where I live it can cost 80Euro - However with insurance that price goes down to 50.Do this and report back would be great :) best of luckgo to a chiropractor! you may have a pinched nerve in your spine and the pain irradiates in your right side and other organs. I had it for 5 year. Who knew it is so easy to fix??!! a good acupuncturist may help, too. good luck.

I have a sharp pain in my right side after using caffine I had a hernia repaired that was causing digestive problems but still have pain also have barretts and HepCI have seen GI doctors and had ultrasound and endoscopic test.I still get pain from coffee have trouble digesting milk products.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the SPLEEN. I had this same pain for a few years off and on. My doctor first diagnosed the pain as IBS. However, it didn't make much sense to me as I have no other symptoms of IBS and the pain lasted 30 seconds at the most. We later found out that my spleen was enlarged. They never found out why (No mono, cancer, autoimmune disorder, clots, etc.), but put me on antibiotics and steroids to reduce the inflammation and kill any bacteria that may have caused the issue. It flares up once in a while so I have to go back and get on antibiotics and steroids again, but at least I know where the pain is coming from. So although it COULD be gastrointestinal in nature, it might not hurt to have your spleen checked. Hope that helps!